Top 10 European gourmet weekends

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The picturesque Faergekroen restaurant on the shores of Tivoli lake offers traditional Danish fare in Tivoli Gardens.

• Anders Blomqvist
• Lonely Planet Photographer

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From Somerset to Sweden, spend a weekend sampling top quality produce and plonk with these delicious recommendations from Lonely Planet Magazine.

1. Feast on gourmet cuisine in Copenhagen

A few years ago, the laid-back city of Copenhagen wouldn’t have been top of many lists for fine dining. Today, it has more Michelin stars than any other Scandinavian city. Chef René Redzepi uses only Scandinavian produce such as musk ox and local lobster at Michelin-starred Noma. But for all the fuss about the ‘New Danish revolution’, Copenhagen can still charm with its traditional food – can there be a better meal than an open sandwich of pickled herrings or a plate of meatballs at a canal-side cafe?
Recommended hotel: 71 Nyhavn, housed in a 2000-year-old warehouse

2. Catch and cook your own lobster in Sweden

The Bohuslän coast is one of Sweden‘s natural treasures, and in the clear waters offshore lurks a culinary treasure – the mighty lobster. From late September to December you can devote a weekend to a lobster safari at local hotel Handelsman Flink. For £300, you set out to sea to catch the lobster, get a cooking course in the hotel restaurant and enjoy the result in a three-course meal.
Recommended hotel: Handelsman Flink, featuring 10 rooms and two suites with sea views

3. Book a ham, cheese and wine trail in Northern Italy

The food in the region of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy is all about ham, cheese, red meat and wine – and lots of it. Take one of several food and wine trails from Parma and you’ll get to meet local producers of prosciutto, Parmigiano reggiano, balsamic vinegar, Parma wine, black truffles and porcini mushrooms. Back in Parma, head to the Salumeria Verdi delicatessen for produce to take home.
Recommended hotel: The Leoni, an agriturismo a couple of miles from Parma

4. Tour Somerset’s cider-apple orchards

Get a refreshing taste of pretty Somerset by hitting the Vintage Cider Trail, an independent walk organised by Foot Trails, an award-winning rural walking company. With a personalised itinerary and map in hand, amble through orchards of apple trees, pop into a pub for a pint and stop at cider farms to speak to scrumpy makers, safe in the knowledge that a good meal and a night in a pre-booked inn awaits.
5. Help out at a vineyard in Portugal’s Upper Douro
Awarded World Heritage status in 2001, the Upper Douro valley produces some of Portugal‘s best wine. The family-run Quinta Nova winery and guesthouse is set up so you need not set foot outside ti to gain a proper understanding of the whites, reds and port produced here, while having a damn fine weekend at the same time. Take one of the trails form the estate and you’ll find yourself traversing vineyards, helping with farming activities or learning to make olive oil at the olive press.
Recommended hotel: Quinta Nova, decorated in rustic Portuguese style

6. Whisky galore in Scotland

The families who own the Monachyle Mhor Hotel and the Glengoyne whisky distillery have joined forces to create the Whisky, Food and Mhor package: two nights in one of the beautifully decorated rooms at Mhor, with a dinner of locally sourced produce, followed by a trip to Glengoyne for a distillery tour and the chance to blend your own malt.
Recommended hotel: Monachyle Mhor, right on Loch Voll

7. Sample the Lake District’s local produce

The English Lake District is fast becoming a hotbed of culinary creativity, with a focus on local produce and modern British cooking. There’s no finer spot to experience the renaissance than the Brown Horse Inn, a bar, restaurant and guesthouse in the Winster valley that sources all its produces from a three-mile radius, and much of it from its own farm estate. The nearby village of Staveley has some of the Lakes’ best food outlets, including the Hawkshead Brewery, Lakes Speciality Foods deli and Lucy Cooks cookery school.
Recommended hotel: The Brown Horse Inn, gourmet central

8. Lose a few days in France’s Champagne region

Leave the planning (and the driving) to the experts by booking a weekend Champagne tour with Grape Escapes, a specialist wine tour operator that runs five different itineraries to the region. In addition to visiting wine makers and sampling local produce, you can attempt the age-old art of sabrage (removing the cork from a bottle using a cavalry sword.)
9. Stay with a local producer in southern Italy
Foresteria di San Leo, a former 13th-century Benedictine monastery with views towards the Lucan Dolomites, has been restored by husband and wife Maria and Peppino, who use all the ingredients from their land to cook the dishes served in the 16th-century former storehouses. Chatty Maria is such an enthusiastic cook that even if you can’t speak Italian, she’ll get you whipping up pasta and sauces as if it was your calling. Enjoy homemade cakes for breakfast, pick your own salads for lunch, and tuck into buffalo mozzarella, burrata, pasta and lamb cutlets in the evening.
Recommended hotel: Foresteria di San Leo has five simple rooms and two apartments with kitchens

10. Visit the brandy vineyards of Cognac, France

Lying in the Charente valley in southwestern France is Le Logis du Paradis guesthouse, an 18th-century farmhouse that makes a perfect base for exploring the Cognac houses for which the area is known worldwide. Most of the bigger distilleries (Camus, Hennessey, Martell and Rémy Martin among them) are in the unassuming town of Cognac itself; smaller producers can be found down the country lanes that weave through the surrounding vine-covered hills. The owners of Le Logis can arrange tours, tastings and the chance to buy the world’s finest brandy at cellar-door prices.
Recommended hotel: Le Logis du Paradis has five beautifully renovated, beamed rooms
Get more tasty recommendations from the monthly Lonely Planet Magazine.

Highlights

Seeing the 'Big 5' in Etosha National Park, trying adrenaline activities, tackling the world's largest sand dunes, appreciating beauty in the Fish River Canyon and culture in Cape Town.

Description

Experience incredible desert scenery and cosmopolitan city streets as you discover the diverse riches of South Africa and Namibia on this thirteen-day adventure. Beginning in Namibia, and continuing down the western edge of South Africa, this tour is a nature and adventure lover's dream. Explore the world's highest sand dunes, visit Africa's largest canyon and explore Etosha National Park in search if the 'Big 5'. Our expert CEOs will reveal the region’s hidden gems, taking the hassle out of travel so you can focus on breathtaking scenery and incredible wildlife. This is truly an African experience.

About Overland Tours in Africa

See our Africa Overland trucks, compare safari highlights from different countries and learn about camping, cooking and daily life on an Overland tour in Africa.

Introducing Africa

How do you capture the essence of Africa on paper without using up every cliché in the book? No other continent comes close to it for scale, variety and pure, raw impact. Africa offers a travel experience a thousand kilometres from the well-backpacked, air-conditioned tourist trails of Southeast Asia or the cash-cow theme parks of Australia or Europe.

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Africa’s natural history alone would make a dozen visits worthwhile – where else on earth can you fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring, or watch a million flamingos take off from the waters of a remote soda lake? Parts of Africa boast scenery so spectacular they’ll damn near blow your mind, but the essence of this incredible continent isn’t in any desert, mountain or lake. It’s the spirit of the people – pushing, shoving, sweating, dancing, singing and laughing – that infects so many visitors with a travel bug so powerful they’ll never stop coming back, sometimes against all sense or reason.
Debate with venerable merchants among the cool, narrow streets of an Arabic medina, dance to the thumping reggae beats coming from a West African market stall, or shoot the breeze with fishermen under Indian Ocean palm trees, and you’ll be struck more than anything else by the honesty, warm-heartedness and vitality of the African people.
Africa’s not always an easy place to travel in. It can be frustrating and challenging at times. Hardships and logistical disasters can happen. But don’t believe everything you see on TV: Africa’s not a hell hole full of civil war, plague, famine and violent crime. It’s a fantastic, enlightening, surprising and intriguing continent. Try it once, and we guarantee you’ll dream about coming back for the rest of your life.

Make it happen

Ready to go? These recommended tours make it easy:
South Africa:

• journey through Namibia to Cape Town
• explore South Africa’s green coast
• go from Johannesburg to Cape Town via the Kruger National Park
• take 22 Days and go from Vic Falls to Cape Town
• make a positive contribution to development by helping out at a volunteer project

Kenya:

• go on an adventure to see Kenya’s wildlife
• climb Mt Kenya
• take a Kenyan safari
• make a positive contribution working on a volunteer project

Uganda, Tanzania & Rwanda:

• catch sight of a Gorilla in Bwindi National Park
• see Mountain Gorillas and Golden Monkeys in Rwanda
• trek Uganda’s volcanoes
• climb the iconic Mt Kilimanjaro
• make a positive contribution working on a volunteer project

West Africa:

• explore the city of Timbuktu
• take in the voodoo trail of Burkina Faso
• travel through West Africa from Dakar to Douala

North Africa:

• explore Egypt
• travel the deserts, bazaars, pyramids and tombs of Egypt
• see the best of Morocco
• take in the Imperial cities of Morocco
• discover and explore Libya's historical sites
• travel through Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, and Senegal

Aperitivo Time – Italy’s happiest hour

• Donna Wheeler
• Lonely Planet Author

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Aperitivo scene along Via Casale.

• Martin Moos
• Lonely Planet Photographer

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Once upon a time, a pre-dinner drink in Italy meant a swiftly served aperitif with a bowl of nuts or potato chips and some fat green olives.
It’s often still done this way, but in the fashionable neighbourhoods of Turin, Milan and Rome, the tradition has morphed into a nightly phenomenon of complimentary buffet spreads so lavish that the three courses that are supposed to follow are almost a thing of the past.
Classic aperitivos

Aperitivo drinks are often the establishment’s proudest accomplishment and based around traditional aperitifs or fortified wines. Menu stalwarts include Punt e Mes on the rocks, a Negroni (Campari, Martini Rosso vermouth and gin), the Americano (Campari, Martini Rosso vermouth and soda), or a spritz (Aperol or Campari and prosecco). Prices are routinely hoisted to take in the price of the ‘free’ food, and range from around €4 up to €15 per drink at some of Milan’s more stellar hotels. The same flat rate charge will often be applied to beer, wine, analcolici (virgin) cocktails and even mineral water.
The cocktail hour stretches into three – generally from 6pm-9pm, though bars are often empty before 7pm.
What can you expect to find on your plate come Campari o’clock?
Carbs take centre stage at humbler bars, with endless variations on the pizza, crostini and bruschetta theme. Further up the food chain you may come across salumi (cured meats), local cheeses, suppli (fried rice balls), freshly cooked potato chips, gratinée peppers and grilled eggplant. Top-end places will rotate a number of dishes, including sushi-grade raw fish, oysters, vitello tonnato (cold veal topped with tuna mayonnaise), barley or couscous salads, cauliflower or cardoon fritters, and a few platters of hot pasta doing the rounds.
Word to the wise: Italians are not shy about going back to the buffet for seconds on the strength of one drink.
Where to drink up – past and present
The stately capital of Piedmont, Turin, claims to have come up with the aperitivo idea. It’s a boast at least based in historical fact: vermouth – a fortified wine infused with herbs – was invented there in 1786. The city has its fair share of evocative historic cafes (such as Piazza San Carlo’s Caffe San Carlo or Caffe Torino) as well as many 21st-century bars. Piazza Vittoria Veneto’s Drogheria attracts a young crowd for a healthy help-yourself spread – faro salads, frittata, paella – and Stevie Wonder on vinyl, while the ultra slick Bianco goes all out with a hot pasta buffet.
If the Piazza’s barely subdued club-kid feel is not your style, up on Via Po, family-friendly Caffe Roberto serves up ‘apericena’ – three courses from risotto to roasts to tiramisu. Just north of the Quadrilatero Romano, Piazza Emanuele Filiberto is a hip but pretty little square with several options including Francophone Pastis, traditionalist Arancia di Mezzanotte and the delightful Tre Galli. The latter bucks the all-out, all-inclusive trend: instead, focaccia, artisan Piedmontese cheeses and cold cuts can be had for €5, with wine remaining at very reasonable a la carte prices.
Going over the top in Milan
While lacking the historical upper hand, Milan’s aperitivo scene is equally, if not even more, over the top. Bars such as the Parco Sempione district’s Roialto and Milano pride themselves on conspicuous consumption – waiters shuck oysters to order, flip bespoke omelettes, and saw your choice of cheese from enormous wheels of the stuff. At Noon in Magenta they pile the luxe offerings high, while there’s a more laidback vibe at places such as Ticinese’s Le Biciclette or Isola’s Frida, where the emphasis is more on fresh salads and pizza.
For a piece of aperitivo history, and a design-centric but friendly crowd, head to Bar Basso, just north of Porta Venezia; in the 60s, the Negroni’s lighter little sister, the Sbagliato, was born here when a barman accidentally substituted spumante for the customary gin (hence the ‘mistake’ of the name).
While aperitivo offerings get more perfunctory the further south you go, Rome’s scene is quietly thriving. Gems like Trastevere’s Freni e Frizioni depart from Italian staples with fresh Eastern Med mezze, while La Mescita offers up wonderful slabs of pecorino and fresh mussels to pick at.
So forget all preconceptions of happy hours past with their watered-down margaritas and two-for-one deals. You may hand over a few more euros for a single glass of the good stuff, but with dinner and a bella figura floorshow thrown in, aperitivo is not only a not-to-be missed Italian tradition, it’s an absolute bargain.

Planning a Big Trip?

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Trekking up Warmiwanusca Pass on day two of Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu.

• Anthony Pidgeon
• Lonely Planet Photographer

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You can resist it no longer. The call of The Big Trip. The world is out there and the time has come to get out there and eat it up. But where to start? What do you need to know? We’ve assembled a few choice articles to get you going.
Essential backpacker trails: The classic journeys that continue to inspire both new and seasoned travellers. There’s a reason people take to these routes – they’re incredible. See which ones tweak your wanderlust.
Greatest historical journeys: If you want to follow in the footsteps of history’s movers and shakers, use these ideas for inspiration.
Travel on a shoestring: Here you’ll find budget-stretching guides to a bunch of cities (including some famously pricey ones) as well as thrifty hints from the forum to keep your big trip in the black.
Australia on a shoestring: a bumper guide: Australia’s a popular destination for backpackers – its sheer size and range of landscapes lends itself well to a good, long trip. These tips will help you get the most out of your Australian adventure.

Long-term travel as a couple: Where you go can be almost as important as who to go with. If you’re travelling as a twosome, here’s some handy advice.
Cool working holiday jobs: One way to make your trip a truly big trip is to take on some work while you’re on the road. It plumps up your budget for further travel and gets you meeting some interesting people and gaining some skills at the same time. Here’s a selection of viable travel jobs.
Responsible volunteering: You might want to help out while you’re travelling – here are some tips for how to be most helpful and what to look out for when choosing an organisation to work with.
How to travel light: When you’re travelling long-haul, you need to get pretty lean with your packing because an overstuffed bag can get very heavy very quickly. Here’s how to travel feather-light.
10 essential stops for Europe first-timers: If you’re not sure how to tackle such a varied continent, this is a good starting point.
Long-haul FAQs: Our forum is a bottomless cup of hot travel knowledge – here are the most frequently asked questions revolving around living and working abroad.
Gap Year and Round-the-World travel FAQs: The forum shares its ideas and advice on these chunky trips.

3 adventure destinations for wheelchair travellers

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Safari tour in one of South Africa's many privately owned parks

• Luke Hunter
• Lonely Planet Photographer

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‘I’m looking for some interesting wheelchair-friendly holiday ideas for summer. Any suggestions?’
This was the question posed to our three regional experts in Lonely Planet Magazine. Here’s what they suggested:

Africa

Set your sights on the ultimate adventure and make a beeline for Africa. There are wildlife, cultural and gastronomic attractions, and tour operators that specialise in making these accessible to travellers with limited mobility.
Your first challenge will be to decide what sort of trip you’re interested in. The most popular safari parks have accessible accommodation, and are covered by specialist operators. Go as part of a larger group (try rollingsa.co.za) or embark on a tailored itinerary with an adapted vehicle and driver. (Try go-africa-safaris.com.)
There are tours out of Cape Town that focus on the region’s exceptional food and wine, and some out of Johannesburg that include a visit to Soweto with a guide. For more information, look at abletravel.com and Bradt’s excellent Access Africa, which is packed with useful travel tips and advice.
- Jane Thompson, regional publisher in Lonely Planet’s Australia office

Iceland

You can have a rip-roaringly exciting (and accessible) time in Iceland, where facilities at least match, and at times exceed, what you’d find at home. Once there, you needn’t stay in Reykjavík. A hired vehicle is the best way to get around as, while there are wheelchair-friendly airport buses, the rest of the country’s coach network doesn’t have lifts, and there are no train services.
Once you’ve seen the Golden Circle’s waterfall, geyser and historic sites, move on to explore the dramatic Snæfellsnes peninsula and get a ferry to the Westfjords. From here, move north to Iceland’s happening second city, Akureyri, and the volcanic wonderland around Mývatn. You’ll spot ice-choked rivers and black-sand deserts as you go. The Blue Lagoon, like many thermal pools in Iceland, is accessible. For wheelchair-friendly hotels and sites, see sjalfsbjorg.is, while icetourist.is is full of tips.
- Tom Hall, Lonely Planet’s UK travel editor

Alaska

You seem up for adventure, so why not Alaska? The Alaska Marine Highway System – Alaska’s network of public ferries – is equipped for wheelchairs. The views of whales, eagles and glaciers from the deck are mesmerising, and you can choose to stop off at a few of the towns, including capital city Juneau and Ketchikan, where Southeast Sea Kayaks will take disabled travellers on kayak trips.
Another superb service equipped for wheelchair users  is the 470-mile Alaska Railroad, connecting Anchorage with Denali National Park and Fairbanks. Denali, home to North America’s highest mountain (Mt McKinley), has accessible bus tours that pass moose, caribou and bears. If that’s too far, take the scenic train ride south of Anchorage to Seward. Check with Access Alaska for accessible sites state-wide.

Best adventure travel ideas

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Walkers on Haute Route walk above Lac de Louvie with Grand Combin massif behind.

• Grant Dixon
• Lonely Planet Photographer

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If you’re after an outdoor adventure, look no further. In this excerpt from Lonely Planet’s 1000 Ultimate Experiences, we bring you the white-knuckle tour of six continents.

1. Ski touring the Haute Route, France and Switzerland

Strap on the skins for one of the world’s great ski experiences as you tour between the famed Alpine resorts of Chamonix and Zermatt. Most skiers take around a week to complete the 140km, hut-to-hut route, crossing 20 glaciers and savouring views of many of the Alps’ highest and finest peaks. Expect more than a leisurely jaunt: the terrain is challenging, and climbs along the route total more than 10,000m. If you prefer feet to skis, you can always wait for summer and hike the Walkers’ Haute Route. Guided tours depart from Chamonix; expect to pay in excess of US$2250 depending on group size. Basic mountaineering skills and the ability to ski off piste are essential.

2. Cycling the Icefields Parkway, Canada

Stretching 230km between Jasper and Lake Louise and following a lake-lined valley between two chains of the Rocky Mountains, the Icefields Parkway is considered one of the world’s most scenic roads. Cyclists also know it as one of the great mountain-biking tours. The impatient can ride it in two days, but well-spaced camping grounds and hostels mean it can also be lingered over for four or five days. Expect mountains, lakes and a menagerie of mammals – goats, bighorn sheep, elk, moose and perhaps even black and grizzly bears. Check the route map at www.icefieldsparkway.ca; you can hire bicycles at shops in Banff , Alberta, for around C$40 a day.

3. Bungee jumping at Verzasca Dam, Switzerland

They call it the Golden Eye jump, as it was on this Ticino dam that Pierce Brosnan, aka James Bond, fell so far that in order to recreate the stunt you must submit yourself to the world’s highest commercial bungee jump, a leap of 220m. Make the classic swan dive or leap backwards, then endure a 7½-second fall that will border on eternity. Only later will you appreciate the fact that you’ve just relived the stunt once voted the best in movie history. Jumps are conducted between Easter and October. The Golden Eye jump costs €170 the first time and is half price if you do it again on the same day. You know what Bond would do.

4. Mountain biking in Moab, USA

Moab is the mother of all mountain biking destinations, its fame riding on the slickrock (smooth, wind-polished rock) that makes mountain biking in this Utah town unique. Top of the pops in Moab is the Slickrock Bike Trail, arguably the most famous mountain-biking route in the world. This 20km loop crosses sandstone ridges above the town, a roller-coaster route of supersteep climbs and plunging descents. If you’re nervous about whether you’re slick enough for the Slickrock Bike Trail, you can always pluck up courage on the 3km practice loop. One-day or multi-day tour options are available. Bring your own bike or rent one and go for broke; for sample rentals check out www.poisonspiderbicycles.com.

5. Rock climbing at Krabi, Thailand

Fancy a tropical beach that’s more about cams than tans, and where the closest thing to a thong is your harness? Then you should come to Krabi. This city on Thailand’s Andaman coast is blessed with spectacular karst formations, even in the middle of Krabi River, making it one of the world’s great climbing destinations. If you’re serious about scaling a cliff, you’ll want to head for Railay, west of the city. This peninsula’s steep, pocketed limestone cliff s offer a liquorice allsorts of climbing features, including good overhangs and the occasional hanging stalactite. You’ll find accommodation, guides and gear for hire at Ao Nang and Railay East Beach; over 650 routes have been pioneered in the area since the 1980s.

6. Kayaking on Glacier Bay, USA

The name alone ought be enough to tempt any sea-kayaker, but the reality goes beyond even the moniker. In Alaska’s Glacier Bay, 10 glaciers flow down from the mountains, filling the sea with an assortment of icebergs. The tour boat MV Spirit of Adventure can drop kayakers at various points in the bay, so you can pretty much paddle where you please. The truly hardy eschew the boat and paddle from Bartlett Cove to the glaciers of Muir Inlet (allow about two weeks). The blockbuster ‘bergs are in the West Arm, though camping there is limited. Beach camping on the Beardslee Islands allows you to extend your time with nature; kayaks and guides can be booked at www.glacierbayseakayaks.com.

7. Walking in Kruger National Park, South Africa

What better way to mingle with a hungry horde of lions, cheetahs, rhinos, elephants and giraffes in South Africa’s most famous park than on foot? Kruger has seven wilderness walking trails, along which you can take guided overnight walks with armed guides. Of the trails, the Napi Trail is noted as the best for spotting the big five (black rhino, Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard and lion). Most of the walks last for two days and three nights, covering around 20km each day at a leisurely pace… unless, of course, you notice a lion behind you. A four-day walking safari costs between US$800–1000 for groups of no more than eight. For more details visit www.krugersafari.com.

8. Hiking the Larapinta Trail, Australia

For 223km of desert delights, set aside a fortnight to walk the Larapinta Trail through central Australia’s West MacDonnell Ranges, one of the oldest mountain chains in the world. Stretching between Alice Springs and Mt Sonder, the Larapinta winds through oasis-like gorges, over sharp quartzite ridge tops and across desert plains. Regular camp sites and water tanks mute the desert’s ferocity but not its beauty – this is the Red Centre at its finest. Food drops can also be arranged to ease the load on your back. The full expedition costs AU$3960; book at www.treklarapinta.com.au.

9. Trek the Torres Del Paine, Chile

Like a fistful of broken fingers, Chile’s Torres del Paine rise more than 2000m from the Patagonian Steppes. For ‘real’ trekkers these ‘Towers of Pain’ are one of the most instantly recognisable features on the planet. The classic walk here is the so-called ‘W’ trek, which takes about five days. Beginning at Laguna Amarga, the W climbs to the spectacular Torres del Paine Lookout, immediately below the towers, and continues via Los Cuernos and Lago Pehoé to Lago Grey, famed for its flotillas of icebergs – some as big as houses. Trails are well marked; trek in autumn or spring to avoid crowds. The ‘W’ trek can be completed in six days, including the return bus trip from Puerto Natales. Sunrise illuminates the Torres del Paine one by one, transforming them into slabs of gold.

10. Swimming with killer whales, Norway

Close your eyes and think of friendly dolphins and you might find it easier to roll overboard and into Norway’s Tysfjord. For three months each year, orcas settle into this fjord, chasing a feed of herring. Hard behind them are the whale-watching boats and the few hardy snorkellers prepared to brave both the Arctic waters and their visiting killer whales. For something marginally warmer, you may prefer to hire a kayak for a paddle among the cetaceans. To play with the orcas check out www.orcasafari.co.uk; tours depart from the UK.

Costa Rica: top six adventure activities

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White-water rafting on the Pacuare River in Costa Rica. The river is one of the top five ranking rivers in the world for scenery and sometimes violent rapids.

• Mark Newman
• Lonely Planet Photographer

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Adrenaline junkies of the world unite – Costa Rica isn’t just about quiet walks in the park. On the contrary, this action-packed country is full of opportunities for extreme sports, both on land and in the water. Whether you find yourself zipping across canopies or rafting rivers, Costa Rica is all about getting your kicks.

Canopy Tours

The best way to take in the lofty heights of the canopy is put on a harness, attach yourself to a zip line and soar through the tree tops on a canopy tour in the Monteverde area. Although it’s unlikely you’ll spot much wildlife at these speeds, we can guarantee you’ll get a whole new perspective on Mother Nature.

River Kayaking

River-running becomes all the more intense when you push your limits by maneuvering in and out of the rapids in a small kayak. One of Costa Rica’s most legendary launches for river kayaking is the small town of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí in the northern lowlands near the Nicaraguan border.

Surfing the Caribbean

One of Costa Rica’s most famous surf destinations is Salsa Brava, a fierce reef break that cuts close to shore in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Although you’re going to need some serious skills here to survive with your board (and bones) intact, a successful ride will win you some well-earned bragging rights.

White-Water Rafting

Costa Rica is regarded as one of the world’s top white-water rafting spots. There’s no better place to tackle mighty jungle rivers than Turrialba. Depending on your skills, you can choose from numerous entry points on Ríos Reventazón and Pacuare.

Surfing the Pacific

Another one of Costa Rica’s most famous surf destinations is Witch’s Rock, a remote break that can only be accessed by boat from Parque Nacional Santa Rosa. Regarded as something of a surf mecca among the international community, this world-class break will seriously test your surfing mettle.

Scuba Diving

Costa Rica may have some stunning wildlife on land, but its underwater world is impressive in its own right. One of the best ways to get a fish’s-eye view is to strap on a tank and check out some of the famous dive spots scattered around the northern section of the Nicoya peninsula.

Tip:

Extreme sports in Costa Rica come at a price, so you’re going to need a bit of cash in your wallet if you want your fix. Fortunately however, there is no shortage of cheap hostels and budget hotels around, which means that shoestringers can conserve their cash for the occasional splurge.

The top 10 countries for 2010

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Statue "El Salvador del Mundo" (Saviour of the World), symbol of El Salvador, depicting Jesus standing on top of the world.

• Anthony Plummer
• Lonely Planet Photographer

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Want a sneak peek into the future?
We’ve just released our newest edition of Best in Travel. We’re delighted at the attention it’s getting, so we’ll share some of the hot lists inside - and get your thoughts.
To start with a bang, here’s our list of the ten hottest countries for next year - and why.

El Salvador

El Salvador sneaks up on you: in lefty lounge bars in San Salvador, at sobering war memorials and museums, and along lush cloud-forest trails; it’s a place of remarkable warmth and intelligence, made all the more appealing for being so unexpected. Travellers tend to skip El Salvador, wooed by marquee destinations such as Guatemala and Costa Rica, and unnerved by stories of civil war and gang violence. But the war ended almost 20 years ago, and crime, while serious, is almost exclusively played out between rival gangs; tourists are virtually never involved. And though El Salvador has fewer protected areas than its neighbours, you get them practically to yourself – including pristine forests, active volcanoes and alpine lakes.

Germany

Some countries are simply allowed to be, but Germany has had to reinvent itself more times than Madonna. And it has done so again since 1990, when reunification brought an end to more than four decades of division (thanks for the correction, conetop!). In year 20 after its latest rebirth, Germany is still a country where you can witness history in the making. Head to Hamburg, where an entire new quarter is being wrested from the detritus of a 19th-century harbour. Or to Dresden, where the domed Frauenkirche church is once again the diamond in the shining tiara that is the city’s famous skyline. And, of course, to Berlin, whose climate of openness spawns more creative experimentation than a Petri dish on Viagra.

Greece

Seldom does a travel destination satisfy the blurbs that shout ‘has something for everyone’ - but Greece truly does. Whether you’re there to poke around ancient ruins, soak in the sun on idyllic beaches, or party till you drop, Greece will leave you clamouring for more. It’s guilt-free travel – a slice of history served alongside a healthy slice of hedonism – and everyone seems happy. You get to marvel at the dazzling clarity of the light and the waters, the floral aromas that permeate the air, the pervading sense of spirit – and then sit down to contemplate it all while consuming that great Greek combination of ouzo and octopus!

Malaysia

Malaysia often gets criticised as being mild in comparison with its grittier neighbours, Thailand and Indonesia. It’s true, natural disasters and coups only seem to happen across its borders, the roads don’t have too many potholes, buses and trains have air-con and plush seats, and hotels are of international standard. While troubles are few, visiting Malaysia lets you leap into the jaws of one of the most interesting parts of Southeast Asia’s roaring cultural smorgasbord – and not be too worried about it. Cheap connections to Europe and great exchange rates mean that you won’t get eaten up by your wallet either.

Morocco

‘Hello, bonjour, salaam alaykum, labes?’ Street greetings sum up everything you need to know about Morocco in a word: it’s Berber and Arab, Muslim and secular, Mediterranean and African, worldly wise and welcoming. Morocco sees how the Middle East is portrayed via satellite news and the internet, and is as concerned with violent threats and abuses of power as anyone else in the modern world. But as you’ll see, most Moroccans are plenty busy working to get by, get their kids through school and greet the king’s planned 10 million visitors by 2010 with the utmost hospitality. Every visitor helps Moroccans realise these goals by creating new economic opportunities, and can make a Moroccan’s day by returning the greeting: ‘Hello, good day, may peace be upon you, are you happy?’

Nepal

But for the Himalaya, Nepal would probably be stuck in the shadow of India – but it’s hard to cast a shadow on a country that includes the highest point on earth, the summit of Mt Everest. Over the last decade, Nepal has seen its share of troubles, but 2008 was a watershed year – the rebels became the government, the kingdom became a republic and the king became a civilian. With the fall of the monarchy, the sound of temple bells has replaced the stomp of army boots and peace has returned to Shangri-La.

New Zealand

Recommending New Zealand’s too obvious, right? You’re looking for something a bit edgier, under the radar or further off the beaten track. But there’s wisdom in the old saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fi x it’, and last time we checked the land of Maori and hobbits certainly didn’t need repairing. NZ’s checklist of essential experiences remains as strong as ever. Spectacular landscapes abound, from sea-level rainforests to plunging glaciers, geothermal springs and barren volcanic plains. Add a hearty pinch of lens-friendly wildlife, proud Maori culture, and fine food and drink, and it’s easy to see why the natives are so chilled.

Portugal

Skirting along the southwestern edge of the Iberian Peninsula, the once-great seafaring nation of Portugal today straddles two very different worlds. For purists, this is a land of great tradition, of saints-day festivals where ox-drawn carts still lumber through flower-strewn streets, and ancient vineyards bring sleepy medieval villages to life during the annual harvest. Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, something decidedly more modern is transpiring. Old city centres, long ago abandoned by the young and upwardly mobile in favour of the suburbs, are slowly being revitalised. A new wave of boutiques, art galleries and cafes are finding new homes in once crumbling old buildings, and locals are beginning to rediscover the allure of vibrant downtown areas.

Suriname

South America’s smallest country, both in area and population, is easily one of its most diverse. Some three quarters of Suriname’s people are descended from Chinese, Javanese and Indian labourers that arrived in the 18th century, and West African slaves in the 17th. Add indigenous Amerindians and Lebanese, Jewish and Dutch settlers, and you have the makings for a lot of ethnic tension, right? Fortunately, wrong. Suriname is known for its peacefully coexisting cultures, most emblematically represented by the country’s biggest mosque and synagogue situated side by side in the capital Paramaribo. With everyone speaking different languages, celebrating different holidays and worshipping in different temples, visiting Suriname is really like hitting several countries at once.

USA

Suddenly the USA is cool again! Be it from Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday last year, or just tightened budgets during the recession, but more Americans (even hipsters) are looking backwards – and foreigners too – and taking in traditional American historical sites, beginning with Washington DC’s freebie zone of museums and heroic monuments.

PENANG,MALAYSIA

 Here are maps of Penang, and here’s information on Penang Bayan Lepas International Airport and how to get to Georgetown from there. If you are taking an express bus, you will probably arrive at the new bus terminal Sungai Nibong and the Railway Station is on the mainland, located at Butterworth, Seberang Prai, if you took the KTM train. Ferry services are also available from Langkawi daily.
There’s so much to see and do in Penang, good food everywhere, and beautiful beaches to relax your mind.
Most of Penang’s fancier accommodation is in the form of beach resorts on the main tourist beach of Batu Feringghi. More backpacker-friendly options, as well as a few classical luxury hotels, can be found in Georgetown.
Penang (Pulau Pinang in Malay language) is situated 370 km from Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia’s north-western coast, and consists of a strip of land (Seberang Prai) on Peninsular Malaysia and a turtle-shaped island. The Penang Bridge connects Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula and Gelugor on the island of Penang. The island of Penang has also been known as ‘Prince of Wales Island’, and more recently ‘The Pearl of the Orient’.

Penang used to be the oldest British settlement in Malaysia predating Melaka, today it is one of Malaysia’s main tourist draws. Although the beaches here are a little lacklustre when compared to many others in Malaysia, but this is more than compensated by Penang’s rich multicultural history which is full of colonial heritage and Chinese influence. Take a walk around Georgetown, the biggest city of the island, as it comes to life with places of worship, inner city communities, wet markets and bazaars, guilds, retail shops and traditional trades, hawkers and trishaw peddlers. The place illustrates a history of peaceful religious co-existence and cultural exchange among the followers of the great faiths of Islam, Buddhism,Hinduism, Christianity, as well as the Chinese religion, which combines Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism.
For beach lovers, Penang’s best beaches are on the northern side, particularly Batu Ferringhi, but do be prepared for the heavy tourist crowd especially during peak seasons.
Penang is more than just beaches. The most unique tourist attraction is the Snake Temple, swarming with poisonous pit vipers. Apparently these poisonous snakes are believed to be made drowsy by the smoke of the burning incense. The 33m long reclining Buddha is the main attraction in Wat Chayamangkalaram Temple, which is believed to be the 3rd largest in the world.
Penang Hill is set amidst the island, with a 730 metre or 2,300 feet peak, where tourists who don’t mind the long queues for the funicular train are rewarded with beautiful views and jungle walks.
You can see Penang’s top sights in a rush on an overnight stay, but you’ll need at least two days to do them justice, and three or four days to really get a sense of the island. In a week, you can get a good look at most of what Penang has to offer.
Welcome to Penang, The Pearl of the Orient

resource;
http://travelmalaysiaguide.com/